Special Feature: Get to know the McGill Practice-based Network (PBRN)

We're pleased to periodically present exciting news and activities of the PBRN - the Practice-based Research Network.

As a part of the Department of Family Medicine, the PBRN is a network of McGill's primary care sites, intended to promote clinician-led research. Dr. Jeannie Haggerty is the Director (on sabbatical) and is being replaced by acting Director, Dr. Peter Nugus. 

The PBRN is a proud part of a Quebec-wide network, called Réseau-1 which provides support for the activities of the McGill PBRN. Its members are McGill University, l'Université de Montreal, l'Université de Sherbrooke and l'Université Laval. The PBRN is, in fact, part of a global network of PBRNs, whose collaboration we hope to foster.

One of the major activities of Réseau-1 is to sponsor a small number of competitive, clinician-led research projects. McGill University was successful in securing funding for one of these projects, and the development of two other projects.

The PBRN has an Operating Committee, formed by Drs. Roland Grad, Ellen Rosenberg, Jamieson Clark, Annabelle Levesque-Chouinard, Myriam St-Pierre, Ariane Courville-LeBouyonnec, Alexis Théberge-Lamy and Lucie Lambert.

The objectives of the PBRN are:

1. Increase the formal integration and visibility of the PBRN within the administrative units of the department and clinical units
2. Develop better relationships with our members - researchers, clinicians, residents, patients - to better understand their needs, their research interests, and to link their ability to support each other - as well as Reseau-1 Québec, PBRNs and other partners and external networks
3. Maintain a portfolio of research projects on relevant topics related to patient-centred primary care
4. Strengthen the governance and management structures of the PBRN.

We will, in future, update members of the Department on PBRN activities via the Department's newsletter and social media platforms. We are working to support the projects that were funded by Réseau-1. We are working with Dr. Jamieson Clark on building a research platform to share interests, skills and projects. We are working to streamline the processes and decision-making criteria by which internal and external researchers can seek to undertake multi-site research projects. We are working to develop stronger ties with PBRNs at the University of Toronto (UTOPIAN), and in the US and Australia. We are embarking on a participatory research project to understand similarities and differences in the priorities and incentives of health professionals and researchers in relation to undertaking and engaging in research. Our Acting Director and Coordinator presented papers and posters at the International PBRN conference in Washington, D.C. this past June.

Got ideas and/or questions? Please contact the McGill PBRN coordinator, pbrn.fammed [at] mcgill.ca (Nadjib Mokraoui).